Why Would You See a Cardiologist for Elevated Lipids?

MedlinePlus characterizes high blood cholesterol and triglycerides as a lipid disorder that typically appears as elevated lipid levels in the blood. Those elevated levels can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, making a visit to a skilled cardiologist, for possible diagnosis and treatment, good preventative health care.

Hyperlipidemia Defined

• Physician with test results

  According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the condition of having elevated lipids (or fats) in the bloodstream is called hyperlipidemia, and it can be a warning sign but not necessarily an indicator of possible heart health issues.

Types of Hyperlipidemia

• Blood sample

  The AHA lists three types of hyperlipidemia: hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels in the blood), hypertriglyceridemia (high triglyceride levels in the blood) and hyperlipoproteinemia (elevated lipoproteins in the the blood).

Signs of Hyperlipidemia

• No sign of xanthomas around eyes

  Information on USA Today's website warns that there are rarely visible symptoms of hyperlipidemia. In more extreme cases you may develop pimple-like lesions on the body or have xanthomas (cholesterol deposits) under the skin and around the eyes.

Treatments for Hyperlipidemia

• Women exercising

  After a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, MedlinePlus indicates, your physician my prescribe one or more of the following treatments: losing weight, eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising, quitting smoking or even using a cholesterol-lowering drug called a statin.

Diagnosis

• Hyperlipidemia is most frequently diagnosed after a physical examination, thorough review of medical history and fasting blood tests. The blood tests are specifically to determine triglyceride levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.